What are the Chances?
by jerrieterrell
Summary: Bella and Edward are like two magnets that have been pulling together since birth. Fate steps in, and they meet unable to reconnect on their own. However fate will bring them together over and over until the time is finally right.
1. The pull

**The story belongs to me, but all the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**

* * *

**

The crisp night air was just enough to cause their breath to show against the lights. The cold metal bleachers rang with each step taken up or down and the

crowd's enthusiasm was palpable.

It was the last football game of the year, and the two magnets sat directly across the field from one another. Each one could feel the tug ever so slightly, as

their pull on one another had slowly increased since they were born. Still neither of them had been quite aware of what it was that was pulling them, why at

certain moments they suddenly felt connected to something or someone but a moment later it would be gone and they would push it out of their minds.

Each magnet could feel the moment approaching, both only sure that something was different. Their minds couldn't comprehend the build developing in their

bodies, as their stomach's fluttered and their bodies tingled down to their bones.

Isabella sat on the home team's bleachers wondering how she was talked into this.

She was freezing.

She sat watching her breath mingle with the cold night, and shaking her legs violently up and down trying to keep herself from turning to ice. Her deep

brown

hair was hanging around her shoulders and she tried desperately to wrap her deep blue scarf around her neck for a fifth time.

Her winter jacket helped to defend her a little against the wind, still however her small nose had turned pink and she knew that her large brown eyes would

more than likely be rimmed in pink. She thought about wearing multiple layers of pants, but her stylist and best friend wouldn't hear of it, thus she had to

pray that she could create enough friction to stay warm simply by rubbing together her denim covered legs.

She had pondered that familiar tugging in her bones as she sat down looking around herself for some explanation, but she gave it up just as quickly deciding

that she should at least try to enjoy herself, for the pixie's sake.

Next to Bella sat her best friend and stylist, Alice, not cold at all despite her being smaller in stature, and dressed to the nines wearing 3in heels and a short

skirt. Alice sat desperately trying to convince her friend to join her in ogling the man meat tackling each other on the field.

"Bella, would you stop that please, how can you be so cold with all that hotness on the field,"

"Uh, the hotness would only help me if it was up here blockading me from the wind."

Alice looked at Bella as if she had grown another head. "How can you NOT enjoy just looking at them, I mean just their asses in those pants alone have me

panting and you're not even effected at all. Are you sure you're really a teenage girl?"

Rolling her eyes at her friend Bella decided it was time to get warm.

"Yes, and this teenage girl is going to turn into a block of ice for scientists to study a million years from now if I don't get some hot chocolate or something

warm. I'm going to get in line for something that can actually help warm me up. Would you like anything?"

"No thanks, I'm good right here, who knows Bella maybe my soul mate is down there." Alice grinned at her friend and Bella just turned around not wanting to

be the one to spoil her best friend's good mood.

Bella knew she didn't have long to get into the line before half time, and then she would have to stand in the ridiculously high-heeled boots that the pixie

had forced upon her. Just thinking about a long line made her ankles start aching.

Before she could focus on making her way down the last few stairs a fresh wave of that familiar feeling crashed over her. She looked around her with more

purpose this time, not even noticing the last step that blended with the concrete sidewalk that lead around to the other sets of bleachers. Slipping on the

step and twisting her foot slightly she braced herself for impact with the hard ground, throwing her arms up to cover her face.

A flash set through her mind, a beautiful ring nestled in blue satin held by a boy on his knee in front of her, it was so quick that she couldn't see his face or

his features, just a glimpse.

She paused a moment shook her head and noticed that she never connected with the ground. There was a strong set of arms wrapped around her and the

smell of cocoa was swirled in the air.

Once back on her feet, she let her eyes linger on the spilt cup of hot chocolate that splattered between her feet and her rescuer's and a little on her new boots.

Her eyes trailed up her rescuer's body reluctantly and recognized the heat covering her face as the pink overtook her coloring. Strong body, strong arms, warm

hands, very nice build, she wanted to look at his face but was so embarrassed to have tripped into his arms.

"Um, are you ok?" The soft velvety voice sang in her ear and she didn't dare look into his face.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry, I really should pay more attention to where I'm going, was that your drink?" Bella finally chanced a peak at her rescuer, taking note first

of the emerald's looking back at her. This stirred something inside of her that she couldn't quite make sense of. She was attracted to him without a doubt, but

there was something else there. Trying to break herself out of the trance of his eyes she noted his unruly bronze hair and beautiful face.

"Its not a big deal, I'm always looking to save a damsel in distress after all," He shook his head slightly looking a little bit puzzled and forced a small laugh.

"No really, let me at least buy you a new cocoa, I was actually just on my way to get my own, I'm Bella by the way."

"Well Bella, I'd be happy to accompany you in line as you get some cocoa, but you don't have to buy me anything, I'm just glad that you're not hurt. Your

ankle is ok right?"

He bent towards the foot in question and as he reached out to touch her injury the electric charge crackled between them. Afraid to get burned by the force

Bella pulled back a little.

"My ankle's perfect, it didn't twist far enough to cause injury since you got to me in time. Would it be to forward of me to ask the name of my rescuer?"

"Where are my manner's, my name is Edward, and please if you ever meet my mother don't tell her I didn't introduce myself properly, she'd be on my case for

days."

A small chuckle escaped Bella's lips and suddenly Edward found himself laughing along with her.

"So a proper introduction trumps rescuing a damsel in distress?" Bella asked cocking an eyebrow at the gorgeous man now walking beside her to the line for

concessions.

"Well I suppose one sort of counters the other, either way I was raised better than that." Edward looked at her and gave her a crooked smile that made her

knees weak.

Bella felt her cheeks burn as she smiled back at him. There was something about him she couldn't place. He was so familiar but she couldn't understand

why or how. She shook off the notion content to live in the moment and focus on Edward.

Bella groaned as she noticed the long line building at the concession stand since she missed her window and half time was now upon her. However standing

next to Edward she wasn't even a tiny bit cold, the only goose bumps present because of the crackle in the air between them. With the energy and her

focus elsewhere she wouldn't have noticed her feet if they suddenly fell off let alone started getting sore from the shoes she was forced into.

"So Bella, do you fall down stairs often like that? Do you pick up other guys like this?" Edward teased her. She nervously bit on her bottom lip before

grinning up at him widely.

"Well technically you're the one who picked me up. Don't you often find girls falling into your arms? You were so fluid I just assumed you did that sort of

thing all the time."

"No not all the time, only the ones I'm drawn to" the air around them surged and for a moment they both noticed the strong connection drawing them

closer.

A large man stumbled by at that moment catching Bella's shoulder and causing her to stumble slightly, breaking the moment that had grabbed them only

seconds before.

Bella blushed embarrassed that she seemed to be running into everyone tonight.

"Maybe after getting the cocoa we should stand by a fence, avoid the stairs and anyone else who could knock you down, you seem to have the worst luck"

Edward looked down at her trying to make light of the situation and trying to calm his heart back down and push aside the feeling he noticed as they gazed

into each other's eyes.

He didn't want to acknowledge the pull he felt toward Bella, the pull he felt as he first noticed her on the stairs. It was the same pull that caused him to leap

in front of her grabbing her arms before she could hit the ground.

The last thing he wanted to acknowledge was the flash he had when she first fell into his arms. A glimpse of long brown hair trailing as a faceless girl leaped

into his arms knocking him to the ground. The stars were out, bright in the sky and the feeling of home and hope surrounded him.

He was used to a strange feeling from time to time that would creep into his bones, but nothing like this before. He shook it off to focus on the beautiful girl

who had just fallen into his life.

"Edward?" Bella was hoping that she hadn't bored him already.

He smiled at her apologetically, "Sorry, I was just, ummm, have you ever had a strange feeling just kind of overtake you?"

Bella smiled back at him kindly, "more often than I'd like to admit."

The pair continued in the long concession line talking about everything and nothing, she learned he just moved to the next town over. He learned that she

was the daughter of divorced parents and that she was the most selfless teen girl he had ever met.

But then again to him she was many things. She was also beautiful and her blush did things to him that he couldn't deny. She was lovely. Before long they

both grasped their cocoa, careful not to spill and stood close to the fence at the end of the field.

"So, what are your plans for college?" Edward watched her hopefully.

Being a senior he had decided to take a year off from school before college. He desperately wanted to be a musician but his father wasn't thrilled and asked

him to take a year, try to get a few small gigs and see if the life was something he thought could sustain him.

"Well I haven't given it that much thought honestly. I'm a junior and I haven't really decided where to apply yet. If my dad had his say in the matter I'd go

to UW, but part of me would love to go somewhere different. Maybe NYU, I know I want to write or maybe edit, but I'm not sure exactly where yet. What

about you?"

"I'm undecided too actually. My dad and I don't see eye to eye on what I want to do, I want to be a musician, continue composing, and he wants me to be a

doctor like him. He's offered to let me live like a musician for a year and then make my decision before I enroll in college, something about a lack of

distractions."

Bella noticed the edge to his voice and his concerns about the situation tugged at her. She really wanted to know this man, suddenly he was very important

to her and that scared and amazed her all at once.

"What instrument do you play?"

"Well mainly piano and guitar, because that's what I use when composing, but I've got a good knowledge of most of them."

"You can do all that and your Dad is still unsure of you?"

"I don't know if he's unsure as much as just unwilling. He's a wonderful doctor, and he tells me all the time that I would be the perfect partner to continue his practice."

"But that's not fair to you."

"No, but I get it. Thanks for understanding, my family seems to think my unwillingness to go premed is all rebellion."

"Have you played for them?"

"Only at recitals, nothing original though. That takes more nerve," running his hand through his hair he looks around noticing that the game is almost over

and an apprehension spreads through him.

All too soon the clock counted down to it's end, and they were both receiving text messages from their friends.

Edward's next-door neighbor who drove him to the game, Jasper, was wondering where he had disappeared to before half time. He didn't want to bug him

but he needed to get back home.

As Edward answered his friend, Bella's phone rang. Holding it to her ear she could barely make out the sound of Alice on the other line.

"Where are you? Did you find a hot guy, it's been entirely too long since you've gotten your flirt on."

"Alice, I can barely hear you, hold on a minute." Turning to Edward she pointed to her phone and down the fence to a spot with behind the concession

stand.

Edward nodded at her furiously texting with Jasper trying to hold him off a few more moments until he could tell Bella goodbye.

"Alright Alice, I'm behind the concession stand and yes, if you must know I've been with a guy, and he's probably the most amazing guy I've ever met.

There's this chemistry between us that I can't explain."

"Bella! I'm so happy for you, listen get his number and come meet me I've gotta get over to the locker room to see if Sam and the boys are coming to the

party tomorrow night. Hey invite chemistry boy too!"

"Okay, just relax a minute I'll be there shortly and we can head to the locker rooms."

"See you in a minute Bella!"

Bella rubbed her hand down her face preparing herself not to blush at her gorgeous rescuer.

"Get a grip Bella a phone number is not that hard, what's the worst that could happen?

Lost in thought Edward finally closed his phone and shook his head. There was a sense of loss in the air and he noticed the cold creeping into his limbs.

That's how Jasper found Edward, standing looking at the field looking confused but excited, scared and thrilled.

"Jasper, this is Be—wait where'd she go?"

Jasper looked to his friend and shook his friend. "Looks like whoever she is she ditched you the first chance she got," with that he laughed heartily at his friends confusion.

Edward shook his head, "Not hardly, she must have had a reason, maybe she's in the bathroom".

"Whatever you say man, come on lets get out of here," Jasper smiled at his friend and pulled him by his sleeve.

Edward frantically looked around the stadium, the people had all gotten up from the stands and were crowding the area filling the surrounding area.

" I don't understand, she was right here and then you were texting me and I think she got a phone call. She pointed over behind the concession stand, but

I don't see anyone there now."

"Here leave her a note on this napkin, have her call you later. If we don't leave in the next couple of minutes we aren't going to make it back before my

parents. I can't get caught with Dad's Aston, he'll kill me and I won't get to graduate. Come on."

Edward wrote his name and number on a napkin with "happy to rescue you anytime" and tucked it into the fence where they had stood. Finally allowing his

best friend to drag him out of the stadium.

When Bella got her nerve up and walked back to the fence, Edward was nowhere to be seen, a small scrap of napkin fluttered in the fence and she ran over

to see if it was from her new friend. The small scrap was from him, she smiled, but then a sense of loss seized her as she realized she had no way to contact

him.

The small scrap only said "happy to rescue you anytime". She tucked the napkin in her pocket and ran off to find Alice. The sooner she got home the sooner

she could journal the meeting and hold on to Edward forever.

* * *

**Please Read and Review. I've had this story in my head for a while and I'm new to writing. I'd love to find a beta to help me tweak this. Thanks for reading!**


	2. The negative poles

**All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just writing the plot.**

**

* * *

**

_November 15, 2008_

_I'm having that dream again. Ever since I met Edward last month I can't seem to get that flash out of my mind. _

_I'm outside under the stars in a meadow, The man I'm with takes my hand and kneels down at my feet holding out a blue satin box with a princess cut diamond ring inside._

_My stomach clenches and I start to cry happily as he whispers, "Marry me my Bella, I promise to love you with every breath I take. Please,"_

_That's when I wake up every time. _

_I'm standing there and I can't see his face, or much of him other than to tell he has long fingers and strong looking hands. His clothes are casual and dark, but his face and features are obscured because he is in front of headlights from a nearby car._

_I never get to say yes, but I can tell from the butterflies landing in my stomach when I wake up that I was going to._

_I haven't had a flash again, I almost wonder if it wasn't because of Edward. Then again if it was, he wouldn't have left me without a way to get in touch. I really thought that he could feel the pull between us too, I guess now I'll never know_

_-B_

_December 20, 2008_

_This is the worst day of my life. I'm trying really hard here to not break down, Dad doesn't need that right now. I really thought that my mom leaving us 6 years ago was the worst thing ever, but right now knowing that she's going to die and there is nothing that I can do about it trumps everything._

_I was still so mad at her, but now I can't be. I know Dad still loves her, he misses her, and now it doesn't matter because she has cancer. Stage IV melanoma that has metastasized to her brain, liver and lungs and stomach. She tried radical treatment before she even told us._

_I don't know if I should be grateful or angry for that. I'm leaving today, we're flying to Pheonix, AZ where she's been living the past 5 years with her boyfriend Phil. I don't know how Dad is going to handle this but they are saying she only has a few days at the most, her body is shutting down and her last wish is to see me again. _

_Sometimes we realize too late what we've lost. _

_After Dad told me I called Alice, she's asleep in my bed. She insisted on coming over to help me pack and let me cry on her shoulder, but sleep wouldn't come to me without getting this out first. I know I've been motherless for awhile, but she was always a phone call away._

_-B_

_January 11, 2009_

_So these dreams are driving me crazy. _

_It always starts the same. Same place, same headlights, same boy. But instead of getting down on one knee he holds me. I get this feeling in his arms that I've never had before. But before long the ground opens up and swallows him, stealing him from my arms. I always wake up crying out "No!"_

_-B_

_February 5, 2009_

_Today is mom's birthday, She would have been 40 today. Her first birthday after she moved out she sent me tickets to meet her in LA. We visited a movie set and drove past the mansions on her homes of the stars map. We had more fun than ever and I left feeling like we could make this work._

_I've been so confused since we got home. _

_Alice is acting funny, she knows I'm having a hard time but she's not sure how to get me out of my funk and it's driving me crazy. _

_I started hanging out with Jacob again. He's Charlie's best friend Billy's son. _

_He lost his mom in a car accident a year after mom left us. _

_He gets what I'm going through and I don't have to hide my feelings from him. _

_When I'm angry he lets me cut loose and yell and scream and punch his hard chest if I need to. _

_When I just want to talk he lets me reminisce and remember all the good times and the bad._

_When I'm sad he holds me and just lets me cry it out on his shoulder._

_At this point I don't know what I'd do without him,_

_He asked me to the prom, I really don't want to go. I don't want him to start getting feelings for me when I'm not sure if I can feel the same._

_I just owe him so much._

_I know he's not the boy in my dreams, but what if he doesn't exist?_

_-B_

**May 2009**

The air was wound tight tonight. Bella sat on a chair in Alice's bathroom waiting patiently as her best friend got her ready for the night. Dressed in a dark blue strapless gown Bella was getting ready for the prom.

"Why did I tell Jacob that I would go to this again?"

"Come on Bella, you look great, I've seen to it, and it's not like you really have to dance anyway. Just stand there and look pretty, after all you're making Jacob's day letting him take you."

"I know, and he's been so wonderful these past few months, I guess I'm just scared."

"What are you afraid of Bella? You have a hot sexy man who adores you and would follow you to the end of the earth. I'm the one stuck having to dance with Eric all night."

Alice's face crumpled and she smiled at Bella.

"You're right Alice, Jacob really is great. I'm still glad we're going in a group and it makes this easier."

"Pssh, whatever. Did you bring your clutch or do you need to borrow one of mine?"

"Actually I brought one, it was mom's before, well you know,…"

"I know, I can't imagine what you are going through, but if you mess up your mascara crying about this I will not be happy! Understand?"

"Yes evil pixie, I promise not to smudge."

Bella smiled sadly at her friend and when the doorbell rang moments later she put on a fake smile and met Jacob down the stairs.

XXXXXX

Edward sat down on the piano bench for the third time this week. He was trying to shake off the feeling that he woke up with this morning.

He woke up from the same dream that had plagued him since last October.

Standing in a field of flowers at dusk, there's a flash of brown hair and a soft body pressed against him. He lifts the girl and twirls her around her hair flapping into his face and then she kisses him.

Every night he tries to open his eyes and see who he's with. But every night he opens his eyes to the night around him and realizes again that it was just a dream.

It really worried him a few months ago when he noticed that his dream girl is crying in his arms. He's so happy but she's so sad and he always wakes up feeling like his heart is breaking.

Luckily he had his music. He relaxes by writing melodies full of longing and intention inspired for his dream girl.

Still here he sits warming up his nimble fingers as he prepares to play another long night's worth of love songs at the dinner club where he works. Each minute that passes fills him with a strong longing he hadn't felt since the week following the football game in Forks.

He never would understand why Bella never called, maybe he misunderstood the jolt that passed between them, or maybe she changed her mind.

He sighed deeply and settled in for the night.

It was prom season in the club, and while his tips had gone down he couldn't complain about the scenery. He had gotten more phone numbers put into his tip jar than he could count. It was too bad that none of them held his interest.

Every time a brunette would walk by or come into the club he would look at her, trying to see if she was the girl in his dreams. So far she had yet to arrive.

But something tonight felt different, the air seemed to crackle and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

After playing his eighth Sinatra song of the night he looks up into the packed dinner club. A flash of brown hair floats across the room and his stomach tightens.

Still unsure what is going on he takes a drink from his water bottle and tries to get a better view of the beauty near the window.

Standing up next to her a dark skinned man with a bright smile holds out her shawl and as she stands up he tenderly wraps it around her shoulders. Finally able to see her face Edward lets out a short gasp and knows suddenly why Bella never called.

Whoever the man next to her was, he was important to her. She smiled back at him softly and tenderly and Edward decided to do the only thing he could.

He began softly playing the tune that had borne itself in his heart and as he poured his soul into his song the entire room took pause.

XXXXX

Bella laughed lightly at Jacob, his gentle nature had truly warmed her tonight, and she was determined to make this night as wonderful for him as she could. In her own way she loved Jacob. He was her closest friend.

As they stood to leave the dinner club he tenderly wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and held her for a moment. She tried to enjoy the moment, but something felt wrong, something was just off.

It was like her bones were humming and her heart was pulling her somewhere else in that moment, but nothing was out of place and she couldn't explain it.

When he held her it was as if the humming dulled slightly and she realized that she didn't want it to dim. It was as if she should take off and follow the pull that had grasped her.

Jacob's arm surrounded her, walking her to the door, when the music started. Softly but pouring directly into her soul the song was her life.

Sadness and beauty, joy wrapped in sorrow, it was as if the song was written just for her. Jacob pulled on her shoulders walking her forward toward the door.

She tried desperately to walk out the door with the boy who had carried her lately, but she couldn't. Not without looking to the piano in the corner.

When her eyes met his time slowed. Her heart leaped and crashed all at once. She looked at Edward, his face was grave, it was like he hated her and the song suddenly became full of melancholy before the moment broke and she turned, allowing her date to walk her completely out of the door.

She tried her hardest to avoid the sadness that was creeping up on her that night, but as she fell into her bed she cried not aware that at that moment Edward sobbed into his pillow as well.

* * *

**I hope this comes out well. I really would love to have someone to bounce this by before it gets posted. I have a great idea for where these two are headed. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
